By BRENNAN LAQUE
Contributing Writer
This past Wednesday and Thursday, St. Rose experienced power outages along Madison Avenue, forcing the college to cancel classes in Lally, Huether and the Science Center. Some of the resident halls along Madison Ave. were also without power and those students were asked to stay in the gym or to find overnight accommodations elsewhere. National Grid service trucks and vans flooded Madison Ave., but even with all of their efforts, the power wasn’t restored until around 2 PM on Thursday. While some of the students sought out a place to crash for the night and while National Grid was trying their “best” to solve the problem, what was the college doing? Had The College of Saint Rose done everything in its power to resolve the situation and keep the student body well informed?
If you answered no to this question then you either live under a rock or you’re just miserable because you were one of the people who had to sleep on a cot in the gym. If you answered yes—which would be the better answer—then congratulations to you. That tells me that you know how to properly utilize your school email. For those of you who still say no, let me ask you this: how much more informed could the student body have been? The college sent numerous emails, posted updates on Twitter and even kept the staff well-informed on the matter. Not to mention just about every single student on campus had something to say about it. I know I complained a lot about the power outage—but not for the same reason as most people. I was just upset that not a single one of my classes was canceled. Like who would have guessed that the Science Center and Albertus Hall were actually two separate buildings? From the outside I’m pretty sure it is just one giant structure.
Then who can I blame for actually having to go to class in the same building where classes were being canceled? I could blame my integrity because I could have easily skipped class and pleaded that I didn’t know the difference between the Science Center and Albertus Hall; however, I choose not to blame myself. I blame National Grid.
This whole situation has taught me a few things. The first being that National Grid makes its wiring so complicated that it takes days for them to find the source of the problem. I understand that the power cables they were looking for were probably buried way before I was born—but one would think that in 2015 they could pinpoint the issue within minutes with some sort of x-ray device. Apple Inc. puts in a ton of time and money and comes up with a pencil, but no one is funding a device to accurately detect electrical issues? Step it up National Grid. It’s not that I blame the workers who baked in the 90 degree weather but rather the system they operate with. It’s probably safe to say that they couldn’t find where the problem was because they most likely didn’t know what exactly they were working with. Fortunately, they finally were able to restore power but it was pretty much too late to salvage the rest of the school day. Those poor students who had to miss class. I feel no sympathy for you.
Something else I learned within those past 48 hours is The College of Saint Rose has a fantastic system of getting information out to the public. They also ensure that the safety of the students is its top priority. During these troubling times, the college not only kept the updates coming, but also stationed on-campus security in numerous locations to make sure that things remained orderly. I had a class Wednesday afternoon over in Hearst and one of the on-campus security guards walked out into Madison Ave. to stop traffic just so I—one person—could get across the street safely. So to anyone that might question the work of our security guards, just know that they are here for our safety.
Although National Grid shockingly couldn’t resolve an issue in their “area of specialty”, St. Rose—in my opinion—handled the situation fast and appropriately. The college’s goal was to make our second week of classes run as smoothly as possible—given the circumstances—and, without hesitation, they kept the student body well-informed. Those students who were temporarily without a place to live were kindly offered a nice, warm cot in the gymnasium and the on-campus security were willing to risk their lives out on Madison Ave. to direct traffic. Maybe this second week wasn’t the most ideal for some, but I’m glad to know that our college is capable of making on-the-spot adjustments to guarantee our safety. Kudos to you St. Rose!
